---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Shiras Poovachal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:19 PM Subject: Caravan for Peace and Justice_news To:
*Peace caravan arrives in Mumbai * http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Peace_caravan_arrives_in_Mumbai/articleshow/3720685.cms Mumbai: Members of the Jamaate-Islami (Hind), a revisionist organisation, have called for a coalition of the marginalised groups to fight terrorism. Clarifying that violence cannot be justified in Islam, the group's leaders said that a nation-wide movement for peace needed to be launched. As part of its peace initiative, the Jamaat had kicked off a rally called 'Peace Caravan' from Delhi on November 10. The caravan reached Mumbai on Sunday. As part of the programme, several scholars and peace activists participated in a symposium on justice and peace at Islam Gymkhana. Though in the past, Jamaat-e-Islami has been accused of supporting an extremist interpretation of Islam, its members denied having any links with the radical elements within the community. "Islam teaches us to sort out our issues amicably. Though armed struggle is permissible in Islam, but not without exhausting all other options for peaceful resolution of a problem. I think we still have some hope for a peaceful movement in this country,'' said Nusrat Ali, general secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami. Criticising the lack of confidence in the secular parties to face the fascist forces, Ali said the forces of fascism should have been nipped in the bud. "The fascist and imperialist forces move with an agenda. They always look for enemies. Once, Communism was their enemy. After the Communist bloc was dismantled, they trained their guns on Islam,'' he said. Peace activist Ram Puniyani said that had the investigative agencies followed lead in the Nanded blasts of 2006, several blasts across the country could have been prevented. "I am not surprised by the arrest of a serving armyman in the terrorist acts because I know that members of the Sangh Parivar have infiltrated into the police and the armed forces,'' Puniyani alleged. Delhi-based documentary filmmaker Shubhradeep Chakraborty, who has made a documentary on 'fake encounters' of Sohrabuddin and Ishrat Jahan by the Gujarat police, said the rising intolerance in the country, if left unchecked, would damage our democratic system. Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, wanted the government to prove the involvement of certain Muslim organisations in the recent blasts across the country. "Several outfits with Muslim names have been blamed for the blasts in the country. Prove that they are guilty or let the innocent off,'' Ilyas demanded. Later, at a rally, from Azad Maidan to Kurla, members of Student Islamic Organisation (SIO), Jamaat-e-Islami's student wing, denounced terrorism. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isaee/Sabki hai atank se ladaee (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians/All are against terrorism'', was one of the slogans the members raised at the rally. TOI Rajasthan Caravan: Concern over chaos created in the name of terrorism http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/17/stories/2008111752850300.htm JAIPUR: A State-level caravan for peace and justice organised by the Jamat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has so far covered seven districts in Rajasthan to generate public awareness on the issues of terrorism, disruptive activities, State excesses and targeting of innocent citizens on the pretext of probe into serial blasts in several cities. The "Karvaan-e-Aman-o-Insaaf", which began here on November 9, will join an all-India caravan of JIH set to arrive in Jaipur on November 23. It has covered Sawai Madhopur, Baran, Kota, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Sikar districts during the past one week. JIH State president Mohammed Salim said on Sunday that the caravan had highlighted shortcomings in the system that had failed to provide justice and equality to all citizens. The participants in the caravan have appealed to the people to adopt the noble values of mutual respect, honesty, patience and sacrifice. Activists, religious leaders, students and madrasa teachers are taking part in the caravan. Mr. Salim, who addressed a series of corner gatherings and public meetings in Sikar district on Sunday, said all the people coming into contact with the caravan had expressed concern over the chaos created in the country in the name of terrorism and communalism. "Mindless explosions at public places, brutal police actions, State-supported violence, encounters, tortures and custodial deaths have led to an unprecedented disorder which can disturb the foundations of democracy in the country," said the caravan's convenor, Syed Nasir Hasan. The JIH plans to organise a huge rally in Jaipur on November 23 when the State-level caravan catches up with the all-India caravan. Emphasising the need to provide justice to all, the caravan has demanded a high-power probe into the terror attacks, reforms in the police and law enforcement machinery, legal mechanism to check police atrocities and abolition of all undemocratic and repressive legislations Hyderabad Caravan: Witch-hunting of Muslims condemned http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/17/stories/2008111754820500.htm Hyderabad: Speakers at a public meeting here strongly condemned the witch-hunting of Muslim community by the police. The recent findings of ATS amply proved who were the 'masterminds' behind the terror attacks at Malegaon and other places. They deplored the atmosphere of fear and suspicion created about minorities by blaming them for every act of terror. The public meeting was organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on the occasion of the arrival of its 'Caravan of Peace and Justice' here from Delhi. A large number of persons, including women, attended the meeting at the open air theatre at Public Gardens. False cases Syed Jalaluddin Ansar Umari, president, JIH, wondered why BJP leader L.K. Advani had stopped talking of POTA after the role of Sangh Parivar in the terror attacks became clear. He deplored the foisting of false cases on innocent Muslim youth, particularly the educated ones, and their arrest and torture. Now it was clear who were behind these terror incidents, Mr. Umari said. He blamed the media for its failure to distinguish between an accused and a suspect and urged it to be impartial and unbiased in reporting incidents. Malik Motasim Khan, JIH president, A.P and Orissa zone, said the country was faced with two types of terrorism – overseas white terrorism and Sangh terrorism. He said the JIH would not call the acts of few persons as 'Hindu terrorism' and said prefixes like Lt., Major and Sadhvi were important and should not be linked to terrorists. While the Army would cleanse its ranks, it was time the Election Commission should cancel registration of parties involved in terror acts, he said. Justice lacking Justice Sardar Ali Khan, former chairman, National Minorities Commission, said if the country lacked anything it was justice. Muslims were the second biggest majority in the country and by alienating them the country could not progress. Abdul Raheem Qureshi, president, All India Tameer-e-Millat, said country could not progress without peace and for this to come justice was essential. He wanted more interfaith dialogues to be conducted to dispel misgivings. Kancha Ilaiah, writer, K.R. Chowdhry and R.M. Mandal, social activists also spoke. The meeting called for liberating law enforcing agencies and individuals from all kinds of prejudices and bigotry to ensure enduring peace. In a resolution it said the exposure of involvement of Sangh Parivar and military official in terrorist attacks had created a 'dangerously convoluted' situation in the country. The 'reckless sensationalism' of news by media had led to an unprecedented communal divide and mutual distrust. There was a growing sense of insecurity among the minorities, especially Muslims and Christians. Independent tribunal In another resolution, the assemblage called for establishment of independent tribunal to investigate all incidents of terror, police atrocities and torture occurred during last decade. It wanted an effective mechanism to be put in place to ensure honest and unbiased reporting by media. The meeting demanded a ban on leakage of confidential reports and confessions extracted under duress. -- Shiras Poovachal M.A. Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Dr.KR. 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